The Labor enquirer., 1887-10-01

alienabie rights. " u { bj {
system which ooGnp1(D
fellow creaturesf0r ~ - q IA ~ q
and permits mouopolien ~ ! ~ 16(eG z
It's natural Opportunities ~ l1D1o 1ovnoni
thusfilling the land Win tEnnDoon1 pnao6uo 8
and bringing abolt . unn61Qgol 6ouoo1t
tion. which tends 70 lU1uoe uorDS q soe6rvn
tion rates and 10 malko ~ n ~ 1eo6Soo
the industrial alave oftho6o ~ Nv ~
by his toll. 4
Holding, moreover, That ~ okvnnfGesq
arising nom social growth a. imreuvonnent
belong to society n lasge. ~ otm nt theahol
ition ofthe system which mek1c oueh beno0.
cent inventions a. the 1ailznad and telso5aph
means for theoppreasion q the people I'd
the aggrandizement q IN aristocEacy ot
wealth and power.
We declare the truepurpooo of goveRnment
to be the maintenance Of that scored right q
property which gives to, every one oppaetu.
nifty to employ his labor and security that h
shall enjoy its fruits; 70 prevent he strong
nom expressing the weak and The unscTupu-
lous from robbing the honsGt; andt 70 do lor
the equal benefit Of al such things = cau be
better done by organized society than BY In
dividuals; and We aim at he abolition of Ill
laws which give to any oias of fcldssns an ad-
vantage. either judicial, financial, industrial
or political, that are not equally shared BY
all others.
We call upon all whosee the emancipation
oflabor and who would make the American
Union and its component states democratic
commonwealth Of really fFse and independ-
ent citizens, to ignore. all minor differences
and join with MS in organising great na-
tional paaty on this broad platform Of nat
ural right and equal justice.
We do not aim ct securing any forced
equality in the distribution Of wealth. We
do not propose that the state shall attempt to
control production, conduct distribution, or
in anywise interfere with the equal rights Of
others. Nor do we propose that the state
shall take possession OF land and either work
1t or rent 1t out.
What we propose is not the disturbing Of
any man in his holding ortitle, but BY abol-
ishing alltaxes on industry or it, products
to leave to the producer the full fruits Of his
exertion, and by taxation Of land values to
the exclusion improvements, to devote to
the common use those values which, arising
not from exertion Of the individual, but nom
growth of society, belong 70 the community
as whole. This increased taxation Of land,
not according to its area, but according TO its
value, must, while relieving working farmers
and small homestead owners OF the undue
burdens now imposed upon them, make It
Improbable to hold land for rspeculation, and
thus throw open abundant opportunities for
the employment Of labor and the building up
of homes.
While thus simplifying government, by
doing away with horde Of onlcials required
by the present system of taxntion, with its
incentives TO fraud and corruption. we would
further promote Uncommon veal and fur
thersecur equal rights ofall by placing un-
der public control such agencies a. are in
their nature monopolies. We would have
our municipalities supply their inhabitants
with water, light and heat; we would have
the general government issue all money with.
out the Intervention Of banks; we would add
postal telegraph system and postal savings
banks to the postal service, and would as
sumo public control and ownership of those
iron roads which have become highways Of
modern commerce.
While declaring the foregoing to be the fun
damental principles and aims OF the United
Labor Party, and while conscious that no re-
form can give effectual and permanent relief
10 labor that does not involve legal recogni-
tion of equal rights to natural opportunities,
we nevertheless, as measures Of relief from
some of the evil effects Of ignoring those
rights, favor such legislation as may tend to
reduce the hours Of labor, to prevent employ
ment of children Of tender years. to avoid
competition Of convict labor with honest in
dustry, to secure sanitary inspection of tene-
ments, factories and mines, and to put an
end to the abuse ofthe conspiracy laws.
We desire also to simplify 'he procedure Of
our courts, and diminish the expenses of le-
gal proceedings, that the poor may be placed
on an equality with the rich, and the long
delays which now result in such scandalous
miscarriages Of justice may be prevented; /;
and since the ballot Is the only means by
which, In our republic, the redress Of political
and social grievances is to be sought, we
especially and emphatically declare for the
adoption of what is known as the "Austra-
liam system Of voting" in order that the
effectual secrecy Of the ballot and the relief
ofcandidates for public offices from the heavy
expenses now imposed upon them may pre-.
vent bribery and intimidation, do away with
the practical discrimination In favor of the
rich and the interruptions, and lessen the
pernicious influence of money in politics.
In support Of these aims We solicit the co-
operation Of all patriotic citizens who, sick
Of the degradation Of politics, desire by con-
stitutional methods to establish justice, to
preserve liberty, to extend thespirit offrater-
nifty, and to elevate humanity.
PLATFORM OF THE PROGRESSIVE
LABOR PARTY.
AT a meeting held in Webster
Hall, New York, September 8,
representatives from labor organi-
zations throughout the state of
New York unanimously adopted
the following platform of princi-
pies:
Whereas, Realizing the necessity of con.